Posts by Pathofthorns

I just want to say that while i think everyone here is good peoples (lol) i am greatly embarrassed by the thought of everyone being caught up in online "role playing" games.

About the only thing i'd like to pretend is that i'm not actually reading that people here think they are somehow movie stars that frequent any sort of "conventions" where people dress up like aliens.

I try to follow the direction of the FDS in these matters.

*** g83 7/8 27 Christ or E.T.? ***
Christ or E.T.?
E.T.—The Extra-Terrestrial burst on the scene in the United States this past summer, attracting theater audiences in record numbers. In only six weeks it grossed nearly $150 million. With spin-offs in E.T. dolls, toys and other merchandise—as well as the movie’s release in other parts of the world—it is estimated the public could spend a whopping $1 billion on E.T. Why the E.T. fever?
The movie depicts an ungainly 3-foot (90-cm)-high creature from space, stranded on earth, who befriends a ten-year-old boy named Elliott. E.T.’s friendliness and benign powers, such as healing the boy’s cut finger and bringing flowers to life, win the affection of Elliott and his family. Sadly, a wasting illness appears to take the creature’s life. But when he is inexplicably “resurrected” before Elliott’s eyes audiences cheer. His touching good-bye, when E.T.’s alien friends take him home, leaves hardly a dry eye in the theater.
Interestingly, many have noted parallels in the story to that of the life of Jesus Christ. Said Professor Albert E. Millar, Jr.: “I think the thing that struck me most was the idea of the capacity to heal, and then when E.T. died and was resurrected.” We have in E.T., then, an enchanting Messiahlike figure that gives momentary emotional release to our need for a true friend with powers greater than ours. Therein lies the movie’s great appeal.
Despite its seemingly Christian message, however, the movie subtly condones youthful misbehavior. In an early scene we find youths playing “Dungeons and Dragons” in a smoke-filled room with a lighted cigarette on the table. Later on, when E.T. gets drunk sampling beer, and Elliott in telepathic sympathy feels the effects, it is all portrayed as something cute. Further, some of the language used by these children is gross profanity. This, along with the supernatural aspects of the movie, has bothered many Christians.
Whether parents or their children see this movie is, of course, a matter of personal choice. But because of the movie’s great popularity, let us not forget that it becomes an effective vehicle for sugarcoating youthful conduct that is definitely wrong.
E.T. may be a skillfully constructed and highly entertaining movie. But it provides no substitute for our True Friend, Jesus Christ, who saves us from this dying, wicked world. After all, E.T. is make-believe. Christ is reality.

I think its time to put away your chessboards and get a reality check.

Path (who still hasn't seen ET (lol)

46

New "doom and gloom" brochure

by TR in

jw
friends

the brochure "the new millenium- what does the future hold for you?

" was just deliverd to my house this morning.

my wife answered the door and took it from an elder jw that i saw walking away as my wife shut the door.

Pathofthorns

You know Waiting,

posts like yours really make me fume. In all honesty I don't think the society will put those points into print, because i do not believe what that brother told you is the official "published" policy.

But I also believe that brother took away with him EXACTLY the point the society wanted him to take home.

1) The society will not put specific guidelines as far as dress into print any more. The skirt above the knee issue is well known, the same as a brother cannot wear a beard, but I don't believe it is so black and white anymore. Sisters i know just hate these remarks, and elders are often at a loss because their wives are wearing short skirts too. I would say this brother is just old school talking some liberties.

2) I understand the point of not pestering the elders for every minor detail. Many simply want to pick up the phone instead of reasoning on the matter. On the other hand, many elders seem to encourage this, also i think the society has contributed to it as well. The whole research thing is stupid anyway, because you are allowed to come to only one conclusion, the society's. Plus there are so many incompetent elders out there, and reducing the questions posed to these men, reduces the odds of embarassingly wrong answers and liability on their part for stupid advice.

3) Again, probably not the present stance of the society "in print" regarding DFed family members, but the stance they want you to take. Probably the brother strongly adviced the benefits of not talking to dfed family members in such a way that the audience would come to that conclusion.

anyways as always, I'm disgusted.

Path

9

New light in 2001?

by Pathofthorns in

jw
friends

i just saw this over at witnet.

it was also on h20 about a week ago.

[url] http://discussion.witnesses.net/forum67/private-8qwkrq0/html/000162.html[/url].

Pathofthorns

Isn't it amazing what a man can accomplish when in touch with his feminine side?

What in the world are you talking about, Waiting??? It's the feminine side that gets me into all these problems in the first place.

Frenchy: I too am very interested in this. I find it really disturbing the rate at which previous beliefs are being dismantled, without any acknowlegement to the emphasis we used to put on these beliefs.

Path

87

looking for friends to talk with

by ctisi in

jw
friends

hi all brothers and sisters.

i am simply looking for friends to talk with over email or icq.

i am adjusting to living alone after my wife left me and then was disfellowshipped.

Pathofthorns

It is fine to talk like this Chris.

I do believe in God still. I still pray to Jehovah. I am not so sure of the things i used to be.

One thing you need to do though is understand why everything is the way it is in the organization. You should start by reading Crisis of Conscience by Ray Franz. It will help things make sense to you.

Its easy to be angry, but much better to understand why you feel angry. Its not because you were mistreated by the elders, but because they are a product of a system that either encourages or permits that behaviour.

I don't really want to enlighten you based on what i "think". I'd hope you can simply look at the facts and reach your own conclusions based on them.

Path

9

New light in 2001?

by Pathofthorns in

jw
friends

i just saw this over at witnet.

it was also on h20 about a week ago.

[url] http://discussion.witnesses.net/forum67/private-8qwkrq0/html/000162.html[/url].

Pathofthorns

I just saw this over at Witnet. It was also on h20 about a week ago. What do you think? [url] http://discussion.witnesses.net/Forum67/private-8QWKRq0/HTML/000162.html[/url]

As far as the chronology goes, who knows what they could possibly be planning. Its fair to say they have to do something well before 2014 rolls around. They need to completely get away from chronology. What a bad trip that has been!

As for this constantly arguing about a stake over the cross, who cares? I never understood what was the big deal about the cross being "pagan". Weren't the Roman's pagan, and couldn't they put Jesus to death any way they wanted to? Isn't the stake sort of a phalic symbol anyway?

The important thing is that Christ died and why he died, not how. I can easily see them being less dogmatic on the stake/cross issue and just stating that we shouldn't put emphasis on how, but why he died and that we shouldn't venerate the object of his death.

I just think its sad we've wasted so much time on these minor issues and made them into major ones. To the newer ones these things will seem as no big deal. To those who have been around for a while, who argued long and hard at the doors about these things, I think they might find themselves scratching their heads.

I somehow don't think a pic of Christ on a cross is happening any time soon. That might be a bit too much for everybody.

Path

87

looking for friends to talk with

by ctisi in

jw
friends

hi all brothers and sisters.

i am simply looking for friends to talk with over email or icq.

i am adjusting to living alone after my wife left me and then was disfellowshipped.

Pathofthorns

There are many who share your disappointment Chris. I think if you simply spend sometime thinking and asking the questions you will find the reason why things are the way they are. You will also find that things have never been rosey in JW land and that what you see in your congregation is a window to what is happening everywhere else.

You must be very careful about your identity. I would imagine that we are only separated by one common acquaintance in the "truth" in Canada.

Path

5

World View

by Martini in

jw
friends

hello friends,.

has the 'world view' you once held as a jw ,benefiting you as live your life today in this 'system of things'?.

i'm not certain if the question is clear but this is my response.. before studing with jw, my world view was that this life may very well have been all there is.

Pathofthorns

Hi martini.

I found the religion's philosophy of money and material things not being the source of one's happiness something i still find valuable today.

The same with many of the ideas and principles they put forth. The downside of these things, was that much of it was only in theory and words and the actions of the people betrayed what they were extolling.

As far as my perception of the world, with governments under Satan's control and everyone else walking around being an "agent of Satan", i found that in everyday life this wasn't the case.

In many cases, the governments are simply doing what they can with the politics and people and situations that are put into place. And many of the people in the world are actually nice people with good hearts.

What has been hidden from us, is that the WTS is having just the same problems as many of these governments they condemn as they have grown in size. And just as their are good and bad people in the "world", there are also good and bad people in the "truth".

I used to admire the days when they told the governments where to go, and proclaimed that religion is a "snare and a racket". But those days are gone as they chummy up to the governments for tax benefits by trying to BE recognized as a religion. They have become the thing they denounced everyone else for being.

I feel they don't even believe the "world view" that they once promoted because they have become so much of the "world" themselves. They have found out just how stupid and counterproductive it was to condemn the thing that keeps them afloat -- "the world".

Path

87

looking for friends to talk with

by ctisi in

jw
friends

hi all brothers and sisters.

i am simply looking for friends to talk with over email or icq.

i am adjusting to living alone after my wife left me and then was disfellowshipped.

Pathofthorns

Welcome Chris. I was worried you might have stumbled upon the "wrong" place by accident.

You will find that many people here, just like nearly any Witness that has to deal with the elders in the back rooms, has had a bad experience.

I think this is not because most of them aren't nice guys, but simply because they are thrown into dealing with situations that they are not qualified to deal effectively with.

This is a nice place, as you will find that you are free to be honest as you would like to be. You will find many people in the same spot as yourself, who while inactive, are not these mean or "weak" people that they've been played up to be.

I would suggest one thing, that perhaps you might want to take your full name out of your "profile" and not include the country where you are from. I know canada is a small place in the truth, and there's no need to aggravate yourself by being called to account for saying the "wrong thing" online. But that is entirely up to you.

Again, welcome.

Path

7

We can "toast" now?

by Pathofthorns in

jw
friends

there was an awake article, i believe last year that basically gave the green light to go ahead with ahead with things that once were pagan, but have since lost their pagan connotations.

of course, this was left up to your conscience, and the usual matter of not stumbling your brothers was brought up.. over on witnet, one member mentions an inquiry to the society regarding "toasting" at weddings etc, and they basically left this to the individuals to decide.. now, i've never seen anything wrong with stuff like this myself, and this whole "pagan" thing has never made sense to alot of people.

i mean, doesn't everything really have some "pagan" origin?

Pathofthorns

I think Waiting you will find that many of these issues have finally become "conscience " matters, while at the same time you will get the tired line to "keep in mind the consciences of others".

What it comes down to is that still many decisions continue to be made under the watchful "public" eye of the nosey local congregation, and if you are holding any "priveleges", you will still be deciding between what you "can" do, and what you "know" you "should" do.

Path